Tag Archives: Ultimate Intention

Have you ever thought of yourself as a philosopher? Does the very word “philosophy,” “philosopher,” etc. invoke uncomfortable concepts in your mind. What comes to mind when you think of “philosophy?”

DeVerne Fromke, in his book “Ultimate Intention” shares about this concern:

“Many may be concerned by the use of the term “philosophy.” There is a vain philosophy of this world which we are warned to avoid. But there is also a divine philosophy. The very fact God made man with a deep gnawing in his bosom which longs to know “why,” “why,” demonstrates that man is born a philosopher. Failure to properly answer the philosophical gnawing in man’s breast is causing fundamentalists by the hundreds to become fertile soil for the false philosophies of the world.”

We are warned by the writer of Colossians in chapter 2 verse 8,

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” NASB

That is a warning that has severe implications as stated above. Paul is not writing, however, to say all philosophy is bad anymore than he would say all wisdom is bad. We have but to read the scripture passage in 1 Corinthians 1:18 thru 2:13 to understand there is a wisdom that is worldly, or humanistic and a wisdom that is divine, from the mind of God. The warning here is to allow the divine “system” of wisdom to direct your life, your motives, purpose and vision for God’s eternal plan and for yourself. Any other “system” of life directing philosophy will lead to actions that will take you away from the path of reality to frail motives, fake purposes and false visions. Even the everyday decisions you make from your unique perspective reflect better judgment when your life is directed by God’s wisdom. So, wisdom speaks that I must decide what philosophy of life I want to determine my motivation, define my purpose and establish the direction in my life!

So, where does this divine philosophy come from? Where is it’s starting point? How is it administered? God, our Father, has summed up all talk of this invaluable divine philosophy down to a “ Person,” “Christ Jesus! That’s right. The philosophy that truly meets man’s deepest needs and glorifies the Godhead is the Person of Christ Jesus.

DeVerne Fromke continues:

“…God’s answer to man’s need is not a philosophy, but a Person. Paul knew better than to meet the Corinthians on the level of human philosophy. Instead, he preached what was to them an obnoxious message – Christ crucified. God used this message to manifest His power. He used that which seemed like utter foolishness to uncover their pride of intellect and man-centered wisdom. Such is God’s way. We present a Person, Jesus Christ, who becomes a divine way (philosophy) of life in us.”